The prospects and limits of product placement application in the Russian Federation have not yet been determined. The authors focus on the essence of the tool, revealing its untapped potential, as well as rehabilitating it before the law in cases of mixing product placement with surreptitious advertising. The objectives of this work is to identify the features of product placement that can interest advertisers, advertising makers and distributors; to demonstrate both the broad capabilities and weaknesses of the tool; to separate it from prohibited promotion methods. Among the results, we note: media and digital products capable of integrating product placement; benefits for the advertiser compared to regular advertising campaigns; attention to the problem of legal interpretation of product placement; separation of product placement from surreptitious advertising and sponsorship. The novelty of the study is represented by the generalization of the characteristics, properties, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of product placement.